Description
This Healthy Creamy Tuscan Salmon Pasta recipe features tender salmon fillets cooked to perfection in a rich, creamy parmesan sauce infused with garlic, fresh spinach, cherry tomatoes, and sun-dried tomatoes. Ready in just 25 minutes, this flavorful dish is hearty yet wholesome, making it perfect for a quick weeknight dinner that doesn’t compromise on taste or nutrition.
Ingredients
Scale
Salmon
- 24 oz salmon, cut into 4 portions
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp pink Himalayan salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
Sauce
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup 2% milk
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Additional 1 tsp salt (optional for sauce seasoning)
- Additional ½ tsp ground black pepper (optional for sauce seasoning)
Vegetables
- 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes
To Serve
- 1 serving Barilla Protein+ pasta (or preferred pasta base)
Instructions
- Prepare Salmon Portions: Cut the 24 oz salmon into 4 portions, then halve each to make 8 smaller servings.
- Preheat Pan: Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat and lightly spray with olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Sauté Salmon Skin Side Down: Place the salmon fillets skin side down in the pan. Lightly sprinkle with pink Himalayan salt and ground black pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes until the skin achieves a crisp golden brown texture.
- Flip and Cook Salmon: Flip the salmon and optionally remove the skin. Cover with a lid and cook for 2 more minutes. If skin was removed, flip again and cook 1 additional minute with the lid on. Remove salmon and keep warm covered with foil.
- Make Tuscan Sauce – Melt Butter and Garlic: Reduce heat to low. Add butter and minced garlic to the pan and sauté until fragrant and the butter fully melts.
- Prepare Cornstarch Slurry: In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon milk with 1 tablespoon cornstarch and whisk until smooth.
- Add Milk and Thicken Sauce: Pour the remaining milk into the pan, then whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Stir continuously for 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Add Cheese and Seasoning: Stir in grated parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste, mixing until the sauce is fully incorporated and creamy.
- Add Vegetables: Add cherry tomatoes, chopped spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes to the sauce. Cook until spinach wilts and tomatoes soften slightly, about 2-3 minutes.
- Reintroduce Salmon: Return salmon fillets to the pan, gently stirring them into the sauce and warming everything together for 1 minute to meld flavors.
- Serve: Serve the creamy Tuscan salmon immediately over cooked Barilla Protein+ pasta or your preferred pasta base for a delicious meal.
Notes
- Optionally remove skin from salmon after initial sear for a more delicate texture.
- The Barilla Protein+ pasta adds extra protein and fiber, but any pasta or grain base works.
- Adjust salt and pepper seasoning in the sauce to suit your taste.
- Use 2% milk for creaminess with less fat; whole milk can be substituted for richer sauce.
- Ensure continuous stirring when thickening sauce to avoid lumps.
- Serve immediately to enjoy optimal texture of salmon and sauce.
